Ladies We Love: Q & A with Sofia Sokoloff (Sokoloff Lingerie)

At Azura Bay, we are so proud to source the most ethical brands, and love that we are able to share an amazing Canadian indie brand with you (shop their collection here). Sokoloff Lingerie is a beautiful, Canadian made label and after meeting its founder and designer Sofia Sokoloff we can't help but love it even more. She is passionate about designing lingerie that makes women feel confident in their own skin, and is proud to be manufactured in Montreal. Below she shares her inspiration and passion with us, as well as some insider tips for visiting Montreal.

What inspired you to create lingerie? What inspires your designs from season to season?

I’m making lingerie in order for the women to like them first, not to please men. I think there is nothing sexier than a confidant woman, and that’s why I’m trying to create products that make them feel proud about their body, their curves and their femininity. And even though lingerie is most of the time hidden underneath clothes, I truly believe that women underestimate the power that lingerie can have on their aura when they are feeling comfortable and feminine all day long. Living in peace with our body should be a norm, not a privilege and it is that idea that has inspired every one of my collections.

What are your thoughts on body positivity in the lingerie industry?

Sokoloff Lingerie’s beliefs are based on authenticity. We see our customers as friends, and we really want to create a strong and trusting relationship with them. We don’t really believe in the «femme fatale», we believe much more in the confident kind of woman, which listens to her gut more than she listens to media beauty standards. We prefer to minimize the distance between our brands and our client, by making her laugh, dance, and by inspiring her rather than playing the games of the unreachable too-cool-for-you brand. We want women to realize that a perfect body is not necessarily the key to happiness, but that having a healthy mind and spirit is.

"I think there is nothing sexier than a confidant woman, and that’s why I’m trying to create products that make them feel proud about their body, their curves and their femininity."

How do you keep your creativity going when it’s so busy being an entrepreneur?

Well, creation has always been really instinctive for me, so it is not something I find particularly hard. Usually when I start drawing, I can barely stop and I just let my instinct flows freely. Creation has always been the easiest part of my job, it’s kind of a part of who I am. Keeping up on the rational part, on the other hand, is much more of a challenge for me! To be honest, finding time to draw is harder than the drawing itself. That’s why most of the time it happens late at night, when there is no one at the office.

Why is it important to you to manufacture in Canada?

We love working along artists and entrepreneurs of the area, and to actively promote the «locally made» choices. Montreal used to be one of the most important fashion-manufacturing cities in North America, and we believe it should still be. We have really well qualified employees and a creative scene like no other, so what would be the point in subcontracting overseas? Manufacturing in Montreal gives us a flexibility that we couldn’t have if we were manufacturing overseas. We don’t really have specific deadlines, so we are able to produce latest trends in a short-time delay, and to respond really quickly to higher demand, which is perfect for a young and growing company like us.

Passion will always win over money, and we are convinced that as long as Sokoloff Lingerie stays true to its beliefs, we have nothing to envy to any multinationals.

What’s your favourite part of living and working in Montreal?

The pride I feel towards Montreal is inexplicable. Over the past four years, I’ve met so many inspiring artists and entrepreneurs that it quickly became part of Sokoloff Lingerie’s mission to share the talents that come from my very own city. These countless and memorable meetings are what formed the Sokoloff identity. I strongly believe that the passion and constant sharing of ideas between artists is my favorite part about Montreal, it makes it such an inspiring place to work. The proximity with fashionable cities such as New York City and Toronto and the port also creates so much opportunity!

Can you give us a top 5 things to do in Montreal list?

You definitely need to start your day by go getting a famous St-Viateur bagel.

Spend the afternoon discovering Montreal famous urban art on a Bixi bike, you will find tons of painted mural all over the city!

You need to stop by boutique Unicorn on St-Laurent where they offer such a great selection of products from the best Montreal-based designers.

Go get a drink at the alexandraplatz, best vibe in town.

You should definitely end your day by the Mount Royal observatory. It is not really original, but the view it is definitely worth it at night!